Friday/Saturday 22/23 March - SSML Results/Reports

[Rhodes]

The fixtures on Non League Day weekend:

Friday 22 March 

Premier Division

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 2 Colney Heath 0 (at Colney Heath)

Saturday 23 March (kick off 3.00pm unless stated)

Premier Division

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos P Colney Heath (Played Friday 22 March at Colney Heath)

Crawley Green v Biggleswade United

Harpenden Town v Baldock Town 

Leverstock Green v Cockfosters

Potton United v St Panteleimon

Real Bedford v Dunstable Town 

Sawbridgeworth Town v Arlesey Town

Shefford Town & Campton v Tring Athletic

Stansted v Milton Keynes Irish

Division One

Irchester United v Wellingborough Whitworth

Leighton Town Development v Rushden & Higham United

Letchworth Garden City Eagles v Langford

Moulton FC v Ampthill Town

Northampton ON Chenecks v Cranfield United

Northampton Sileby Rangers v Winslow United

Rothwell Corinthians v Buckingham FC

Royston Town Under 23's v Long Buckby AFC

Division Two

Milton Keynes Irish Reserves v Newport Pagnell Town Development

Pitstone & Ivinghoe v Stony Stratford Town

Sarratt v Caddington AFC (kick off 2.00pm)

Totternhoe v Aston Clinton

Tring Corinthians AFC v The 61 FC (Luton)

SSML Division Two Cup Quarter Finals

Berkhamsted Raiders v Eynesbury United

Bovingdon v New Bradwell St Peter

Codicote v AFC Welwyn

Milton Keynes College Football Academy v Old Bradwell United

Edited March 25 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Saturday's results:

Saturday 23 March

Premier Division

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos P Colney Heath (Played Friday 22 March at Colney Heath)

Crawley Green 1 Biggleswade United 0

Harpenden Town 1 Baldock Town 1

Leverstock Green 0 Cockfosters 0

Potton United 2 St Panteleimon 1

Real Bedford 5 Dunstable Town 1

Sawbridgeworth Town 0 Arlesey Town 1

Shefford Town & Campton 2 Tring Athletic 3

Stansted 0 Milton Keynes Irish 0

Division One

Irchester United 3 Wellingborough Whitworth 1

Leighton Town Development 2 Rushden & Higham United 4

Letchworth Garden City Eagles 2 Langford 3

Moulton FC 3 Ampthill Town 4

Northampton ON Chenecks 1 Cranfield United 0

Northampton Sileby Rangers 3 Winslow United 0

Rothwell Corinthians 3 Buckingham FC 0

Royston Town Under 23's 4 Long Buckby AFC 1

Division Two

Milton Keynes Irish Reserves 1 Newport Pagnell Town Development 1

Pitstone & Ivinghoe 2 Stony Stratford Town 1

Sarratt 1 Caddington AFC 4

Totternhoe 0 Aston Clinton 0

Tring Corinthians AFC 2 The 61 FC (Luton) 2

SSML Division Two Cup Quarter Finals

Berkhamsted Raiders 0 Eynesbury United 2

Bovingdon 1 New Bradwell St Peter 1 (Bovingdon win 5-4 on pens)

Codicote 2 AFC Welwyn 3

Milton Keynes College Football Academy 2 Old Bradwell United 3

[Rhodes]

26 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

Saturday 23 March
Premier Division
Harpenden Town 1 Baldock Town 1

A groundhopper from another Forum was at Rothamsted Park:

Harpenden Town 1-1 Baldock Town
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Attendance 234, Admission £5 (NLD special price)
Quick drive over to Herts (via Hemel's Magic Roundabout) to tick off my last new ground at Step 5 or above within an hour's travel from home. Some places on-line hint that parking should possibly be free at the ground,- but signage in the car park suggested otherwise, so I sucked it up and paid the £4.20 for 3 hours. Rothamsted Park is a mere ten minute walk from Harpenden station on the Thameslink/Midland Main Line so comes highly recommended for public transport loving hoppers.
I was a little stunned by how much the ground filled up just before kick off. I made the assumption that this must be due to Non-League Day and reduced admission, but having now clicked around on FA Full Time a bit, I realise I shouldn't have been surprised - crowds of 200+ are a regular occurrence at Harpenden these days. Combine brand new terracing all the way down one side where apparently a grass bank used to be, upgrades to the 100-seater main stand and a pristine newly-laid 3G surface with a team challenging for the playoffs and a great location five minutes from the High Street, and this seems a classic success story for the "if you build it, they will come" philosophy. Fair play to them.
The first half wasn't much to write home about. Two teams playing a similar style of football, and the same 4-2-3-1 formation, pretty much cancelled each other out. As the second half began and Harpenden looked to pile pressure on bottom-four Baldock, the game opened up significantly, becoming end-to-end at times. This seemed to suit Baldock more than the hosts, as they looked a real threat on the counter and forced the Harps keeper into a couple of very good reaction saves. Then, one of Baldock's many corner kicks was headed home and it began to look like we might have an upset on our hands.
Harpenden huffed and puffed and eventually scrambled home an equaliser with eight minutes remaining. Naturally, the impetus was now all on Harps to go and win it, but they could not find another goal. The most memorable sequence came in stoppage time. Firstly, a Harpenden player went down from a sliding challenge in the box. Nothing given by the ref, and immediately Baldock were charging down the other end, only for their man to be scythed down by the last defender 25 yards from goal. The Referee gave a throw-in to Baldock, much to the bemusement and amusement of everybody in attendance. It looked a very, very clear professional foul from where I was standing. Remonstrations followed and one player from each side was sent to the sin bin for dissent. The Ref had a chat with his linesman, it was still a throw-in. The game finished 1-1, probably a fair result but one that both sides may well have felt frustrated by.

[Rhodes]

Premier Division match programmes where found:

Saturday 23 March

Premier Division

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos P Colney Heath (Played Friday 22 March at Colney Heath)

Crawley Green 1 Biggleswade United 0

MergedFile

Harpenden Town 1 Baldock Town 1

HTFC+v+Baldock+Town.pdf (squarespace.com)

Leverstock Green 0 Cockfosters 0

Leverstock Green FC Programme vs Cockfosters by Leverstock Green FC - Issuu

Potton United 2 St Panteleimon 1

Real Bedford 5 Dunstable Town 1

Sawbridgeworth Town 0 Arlesey Town 1

Shefford Town & Campton 2 Tring Athletic 3

Stansted 0 Milton Keynes Irish 0

[Rhodes]

6 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Saturday 23 March
Division One
Northampton ON Chenecks 1 Cranfield United 0

Numerous photographs from this affair, courtesy of Richard Eason Photography:

ON Chenecks v Cranfield United - 23 March 2024 - Richard Eason Photography (smugmug.com)